Topic: Acoustic stomp boxes

[Miblues]

Hi all
Can anyone give me some ideas where I might find an acoustic stomp box (correct terminology?) a la Chris Smithers. He uses one to accompany himself by tapping his foot and it produces a bass like sound?

Thanks for you help.

Michael

[chipmonk doug]

Mine is a 11x14 piece of 5/16 plywood on a slant because of triangle sides.  I have a old beat up tamborine with no skin laying on the top held by a string.  I put a mic under the open area.  Some day I'll improve it, maybe drill some holes so the tamborine gets to the mic better, maybe use a SBT on the bottom rather than a mic.

If your interested I'll take a picture and send it to you.  e-mail me if you want it.
dougheard A T  stone-soup D0T C0m

[Norfolk Slim]

Chris actually just uses an old piece of chipboard most of the time- but with a seperate mic directed at it.? He then just taps both his feet....

[a2tom]

and don't forget the leather soled shoes - can't tap/stomp with modern rubber/synthetic soles (maybe we can start a thread about the tonal properties of different shoe brands/styles? )

tom

[Norfolk Slim]

I find my Caterpillar boots are best for good solid stomping.... but my calves are worn out and stop working half way through a song if I try to do it Chris Smither style in any event!

[a2tom]

interesting point - I've noticed from a careful (hah) study of stompers/tappers (Chris Smithers, John Lee Hooker) that they vary their tapping between toe and heel taps.  I suspect part of the reason is to use (contract and stretch) different muscle groups and reduce fatigue.

[Norfolk Slim]

Chris's is definitely a combination of heel and toe- often both feet at once in different but complimentary rhythms.  One foot will keep time with heel / toe- and the other will add emphasis to every  second or fourth beat.

He says that if he doesnt get his feet going properly, he simply cant play some songs properly.  Its like an independent rhythm track he plays to. 

Ive tried it and it hurts after about 30 seconds.  But I'm probably just a wimp:-)

Im reassured however by the fact that Pete Mulvey (who is a very enjoyable conteporary guitarist- especially live, and a friend and stable mate of Smither) says when he starts tapping his feet to Smither's music in the car, he quickly has to give up and doesn't know how Chris manages to do it for two hours straight....

As may be apparent- Im a very very big fan of Mr Smither....

[boots]

Ive tried it and it hurts after about 30 seconds.  But I'm probably just a wimp:-)

Living in the flatlands you don't get to build up your leg muscles. 

Boots

[Marshcat]

My solution is a Honey I Shrunk the Suitcase Bass Drum to a Manageable Country Blues Size concept.

It's an old wooden clarinet case, which doubles as a foot-rest and a holder for harps, slides, tuners, etc.

For amplified gigs, I wrap a Microvox (tie-clip size) mic around a chamois leather and bury it in one of the foam cut-outs inside the case. The Microvox has it own small-diameter cord (lead) which routes through a cut-out in the lid opening of the case to its own battery/power supply with volume control and jack socket for lining out to the PA. Takes a while to get the EQ settings right but what works best for me is max. Low, zero Mid and max. High - produces a great kick-drum beat.

Rubber feet and Velcro on the base stop the thing sliding away when stomping on woodem or carpet floors.

And you can give the clarinet away to some deserving jazz band...